Postmodern Orthodoxy: Giving Voice to a New Generation
Gil Perl draws from Rav Shagar to argue that "Postmodern Orthodoxy turns its gaze inward toward the conflicts raging within the individual as he or she seeks out meaning and strives for relevance.
The Forgotten Mourners
What is the halakhic status of those mourning the loss of their parents-in-law? Aaron Ross, inspired by his personal experience, grapples with the lack of formal aveilut rituals for non-biological relatives.
Hippocratic Healthcare and Christian Absolutism: Can Halakhah Allow for Compassionate Euthanasia?
Leead Staller argues for a more nuanced approach to euthanasia in Halakha.
Wearing a Smartwatch on Shabbat
Ike Sultan
A. The Question
One of the new gadgets that has become popular over the last few years is the smartwatch; a popular brand at...
Torah u-Madda or Torah u-Movies?
Moshe Kurtz regales us with his love of science fiction & fantasy, suggesting that the genre’s literature, movies, and games can teach Torah lessons in ethics and morality, but cautioning that Torah u-Madda ought not to become Torah u-Movies.
Gedolim Cards and the Commodification of Rabbi-Saints
Zev Eleff on a uniquely American Jewish "righteous commodity" Gedolim Cards
Titus and the Tripartite Soul: A Lesson on Leadership and Jewish Survival
With a novel reading of Josephus and Gittin, Shana Schwartz proposes that the tragedy of the second hurban and the mystery of subsequent Jewish survival may be understood by reference to the physiological knowledge available in classical antiquity.
The Arrival of Rabbi Soloveitchik in America: A Documentary Report
Yisrael Kashkin and Jeffrey Saks provide a timeline for the Rav's American arrival.
Hendiadys in the Pre-Shofar Acrostic Prayer: An Introduction to an Overlooked Principle of Biblical...
In unpacking the meaning of a tricky verse from Eikhah that we say as part of the Shofar service on Rosh Hashanah, Mitchell First introduces us to the literary principle called hendiadys, which can help us understand various phrases throughout Tanakh.
The Non-Blaspheming “Blasphemer” and the Broader Ethic of the Episode
Mark Glass
I.
It is fair to say that Sefer Vayikra is not known for its narratives. It is devoted, for the most part, to the...